Nine Lives and Tiny Knives
by KimicThranduilion
Summary: Little warrior Legolas goes to the rescue; big sister Rithel helps out. Family fluff.


**Prompt: **On Christmas day you find a tiny, freezing kitten

**Rating: **G

**Setting: **TheWoodland Realm (Mirkwood) – Legolas is an elfling and the Elven Queen is still alive

**Characters: **Elfling Legolas, Rithel (OC), Queen Celeblassel (OC), Thranduil

**Summary: **Little warrior Legolas goes to the rescue; big sister Rithel helps out. Family fluff.

**A/N – My offering for Christmas 2019 – do enjoy!**

Legolas leapt from one snow laden branch to another in pure exhilarated glee. It was Yule and he was full of a spectacular breakfast including several tasty raspberry jam tarts – he even had a few stashed in his tunic pockets. He'd opened all his gifts and clearly _Adar Rhîw_ thought he'd been a very good elfling indeed. Along with numerous (excessive in Legolas' opinion) items of clothing he'd also gotten a new pair of vambraces, a shiny _mithril_ whistle, a top made of gleaming silver and glass that spun ever so beautifully and best of all his first pair of hunting knives.

They were small and well-made of the strongest and finest Elven steel complete with mother-of-pearl hilts dotted with white gems. They were exquisite and the little Elven Prince felt as though he was a fully-fledged warrior now. He bounded from snowy branch to snowy branch; his small knives well hidden in his new vambraces and gave the odd warrior yell as he desperately hoped with all his tiny might that he'd come upon some foul creature to battle with his new knives.

It was unlikely; he was on a safe path in the safest part of the Wood and his family – big sister Rithel, his _Nana_ and _Ada_ \- were only about nine hundred or so yards behind him but that did not stop Legolas leaping faster and faster, getting louder and louder as he frantically scanned the frosty foliage for some foe.

With a mighty leap that his _Nana_ would _not_ have approved of had she seen it Legolas landed with a thump in a fresh fluffy snow pile high on a sturdy oak branch. He'd been leaping and jumping since the royal family had set off from the palace on their Yule day walk and Legolas was starting to feel it. He paused a minute, ever so slightly winded and fished a jam tart from his pocket. He loved Yule – the cooks always had treats upon treats stored up and for once on Yule day they never told him 'no'.

The tiny blonde munched happily away as he rested; he figured he'd let his family catch up to him then see if he could convince his _Ada_ to take him hunting so that he might practise with his knives. Practise made perfect after all – or at least so said his _tengwar_ tutor.

Legolas idly brushed a few crumbs from his front and was contemplating whether he ought to eat another of his stashed tarts when he heard a noise. Instantly his small pointed ears perked up. There it was again…it sounded…it sounded…like an animal noise.

The sound came again. Yes, most definitely an animal noise and it wasn't far either. Legolas grinned in wicked glee and pulled his knives silently from their hidden positions before he slipped down the tree and tip-toed in the general direction of the sounds. He was careful to keep his steps extra light and silent even as his grin widened into an outright beaming smile. He would catch this foe by surprise and take it down. _Nana_ and _Ada_ would be so proud and maybe, finally, Rithel would take him on one of her patrols.

Legolas crept up as close as he dared get to his foe before he pounced knives at the ready with a great battle cry.

"_Tiro goth_!"

Legolas was instantly disappointed to see that instead of some great spider or wolf as he'd hoped and imagined it was a tiny, rather frozen looking kitten. The blonde princeling sheathed his knives and looked at the scene before him critically.

The small cat was stuck in a spiny bramble bush, its pale grey fur wet through and impossibly tangled in the spines of his snowy, leafless prison. It was shivering rather pathetically and gave tiny, barely there mewls of distress at irregular intervals.

Legolas' heart melted.

He had an affinity for all living creatures of his forest great or small and this wee, wet, frozen kitten was no exception. The littlest royal approached with tiny leather gloved hands outstretched in the universal signal of peace.

"_Sîdh, sîdh tithen myril _– it is ok, Las will help you," Legolas inched up closer to the kitten. "Las will save you do not worry."

The tiny ball of misery mewled pathetically as it struggled again to shake itself free from its thorny confines.

"Nay _tithen myril_," Legolas was distressed to see the kitten tie its fur up into even greater knots. "Do not move Las will help. _Annin_, stay still."

The kitten whether through exhaustion or actual understanding of Legolas' words ceased in its struggles and instead resumed panting and shivering weakly. The small blonde tilted his head in a bird like manner as he considered the quandary before him. He needed to free the kitten and soon – he could tell it was very cold – far, far too cold. Legolas considered for a moment longer before it hit him and the little Prince smiled. He'd get to put his new knives to use after all and be a hero warrior in saving the little cat.

Legolas took his gloves off and set them to the side before petting the kitten ever so gently as he let the scared little creature get used to him and his scent. Then as the kitten at last calmed itself completely Legolas again drew forth one of his brand new, shiny hunting knives.

Carefully, and chattering away consolingly to the kitten all the while Legolas cut the offending branches away from the matted fur of the kitten. The kitten upon realising it was free immediately tried to make a break for it but the blonde princeling was quicker.

"Wait, wait _mellon_ – there are still many thorns in your fur and you are so cold. Let Las help. _Sîdh _Las will save you."

Legolas held the tiny cat in place with one hand and removed his plush fur lined cloak with the other before he wrapped the kitten securely in it. "There, you will be warm and dry now. Las knows it is no fun to be all wet."

The kitten mewled at him before it gave a timid lick of his hand and Legolas giggled. "That tickles _tithen myril_. No, be good and let Las get all the prickles out of your fur. Then Las will take you to back to the palace and you can get all warm and dry again and Las will get you some milk and some cream…you will love it at the palace _tithen myril,_ you will love it with living with Las."

**~o~**

Celeblassel cocked her head to one side – delicate ears listening for sounds of her rambunctious son.

"Las? _Tithen_ Las – we are going to head back to the palace _ion-nin_ – where are you? Will you not come out and come back with us?"

Suspicious silence answered the Queen and ripple of unease fluttered through her. She knew they were on a safe path, she knew they were in the safest part of the forest. Her mighty husband and warrior-princess daughter were both with her, along with one of Thranduil's Elite bodyguards who trailed them at a respectful distance and Celeblassel herself was no slouch in the ways of the warrior but still… It was so silent now – nothing but the crisp winter winds and the crunch of snow under tiny squirrel feet. Gone was the overly loud sounds of warrior chants in a happy, high pitched voice and the Queen could not help but feel worried.

Thump!

A snowball hit Celeblassel square at the back of the head and the remains slithered icily down her neck. The Queen whirled to pin her guilty looking husband with a glare.

"Really Thranduil?!"

The ash blonde King shrugged with a smirk and pointed upward to their silver haired daughter perched above him in a birch tree. "Come now _Hervess_, why do you assume it was me? It could easily have been Rithel."

"_Adar_!" Rithel spluttered, "How can you stand there and blame me? Do not listen to him _Naneth_."

Usually Celeblassel would join right in the fun – happy to see her over-worked daughter and too stressed husband so wonderfully care free. Yet her heart was too occupied with worry over the whereabouts and sudden quietness of her elfling.

Thranduil caught onto her mood instantly.

"What is wrong _Meleth-nin_?"

"N…nothing per se…it is just – it is quiet…too quiet."

"You worry for Legolas," Thranduil surmised easily as he moved to stand behind his wife and enveloped her in a hug. "He is likely just off stalking some unfortunate squirrel or stuffing his face with those jam tarts he rammed in his pockets earlier. There is naught to worry about – the child is fine and will soon tire of being quiet and go back to yelling and shouting loud enough for all of Arda to hear."

Celeblassel sighed and strained her hearing again still unconvinced. Thranduil shook his head at her before he called up into the tree above. "_Iell-nin_ go and fetch your brother back here so your _Naneth_ may see he is safe and well."

Rithel smiled down at her parents, gave a quick sharp nod and shot off through the trees in the direction her errant little brother had been headed.

**~o~**

"Las!"

Rithel regretted her loud cry almost instantly as the small elfling below her startled badly but then she too had had a bad scare. She had first heard a strange, fierce yowling sound as she had approached and then she'd glimpsed blood – red blood – upon Legolas and as he now turned to look up at her Rithel could also see his expressive blue eyes brimmed with tears.

The silver haired Princess wasted not a minute more and leapt down from the trees toward her baby brother.

"Las – _tithen pen_ – what has happened here? Are you hurt? Show me your arms!" Rithel tried and failed to keep the panic from her voice. She could smell the blood now. Elven blood.

Legolas looked coyly over his shoulder at his _gwathel_ with watery eyes though he did not move nor show his hands. "Las was just trying to help. Las _is _helping."

The strange yowling noise came again and Rithel saw her little brother lurch forward in an attempt to hold onto something that struggled fiercely in his arms.

"What is that Legolas? What have you got?"

Rithel was soundly ignored as Legolas focussed on whatever was in his arms.

"_Annin tithen myril_ do not wiggle so much, Las is sorry."

"_Tithen myril_?" Rithel parroted.

The Princess moved so that she faced her brother head on. Legolas was desperately struggling to keep hold of a small, wet looking kitten that was half bundled in the new cloak he'd gotten just that morn. His tiny glove-less hands were bloodied and there was a wicked looking claw mark just under his left eye. Its swollen redness stood out starkly against his pale chubby cheek.

Rithel sighed. "Aye _Lasseg_…" She took him in again and shook her head even as she knelt down next to him. "What have you got yourself into? Who is this?"

"Las saved her. She was trapped and Las saved her with my new knives but she has many prickles and Las just wanted to get them all out but…" Here Legolas' plump pink lips trembled ominously, "Las hurted her…Las hurted her and she hurted Las back but Las didn't mean to. Las just wants to help but now _tithen myril _is angry at Las."

Rithel could sense the huge emotional storm about to roll in and break over Legolas and immediately pressed a consoling kiss to her baby brother's forehead.

"It's okay _Las-nin,_ I know you did not mean to hurt the _tithen myril_; but sometimes when you are injured the healer has to hurt you a little bit first before you can get better. Do you not remember when you broke your arm? Did Calelon not hurt you a little as he set and straightened your arm to put into a splint?" Rithel gave her _gwanûr_ an encouraging smile, "This is just the same. And yes, I think the kitten might be annoyed at you just now but she will be happy again once you are done."

Legolas' bottom lip still stuck out forebodingly, "But Las only took one prickle from her fur. She will not let Las do it again."

Rithel smiled again, "I think I can help with that."

The Princess called forth the small amount of healing energy that she had at her disposal and touched the kitten's soft head gently. After a moment the tiny being gave up its struggling and yowling and collapsed asleep into Legolas' arms.

"_Elo_!" Legolas' eyes now shone with wonder instead of tears.

"We can now take all the prickles from her fur without causing her too much pain or worrying she will run off. But first, I must tend _your_ injuries _Lasseg_. Pop the kitten just here – she will go nowhere and is warm enough in your cloak for now."

Legolas reluctantly placed his precious bundle down before he held his hands out to Rithel to inspect. The wounds had stopped bleeding and were not very deep but still needed to be cleaned and bandaged. The Princess pulled out the small medicinal pouch that being both a warrior and elder sister had taught her to carry at all times.

Rithel pulled out her small bottle of wound cleanser – it was powerful and she knew it would sting with the herbs in it. "Here Las, I'm afraid this will sting a bit but I need to clean these wounds of yours to ensure they do not get infected."

"St…sting?" Tears threatened again and Rithel really did not want to have to bring a tear-stained Legolas back to her _edhryn_. It was bad enough that she would be returning him blood speckled and bandaged.

"Yes, Las but only for a little while – and you are a brave rescuer – a hero who saved this _tithen myril_. This will be nothing for you!"

Her brother's tiny scratched face lit up at the praise and Legolas quietly submitted himself to her ministrations with only a slightly wobbly lip. Once she'd bandaged both face and hands she turned her attentions to the kitten. She could see the small sore patch where both fur and thorn had been removed and Rithel felt for the little cat. She could understand why it had lashed out at Legolas.

The Princess sent another wave of healing energy into the kitten to keep it asleep then set to work. As she worked she teased the story out of Legolas bit by bit and let him help by cradling and manoeuvring the tiny creature when needed being sure to praise him all the while. She knew her _tithen gwanûr_ meant well, but as in the way of many a small _ellon_ Legolas did not yet have a true grasp of gentleness nor his own untrained strength. For both his sake and the kitten's it was best Rithel removed the prickles that liberally littered the small being's damp fur.

**~o~**

"There. All done."

Legolas felt himself jerk slightly from the doze he'd lost his battle with. The small blonde blinked then focused on the tiny furry body he held.

He beamed at his sister, "All done! We did it 'Thel… _tithen myril_ is saved and healed. Thank you 'Thel."

"Anytime _Las-nin_, I will always be here to help you should you need it. Now, let's head back to _Adar_ and _Naneth_. They will probably be worried by now."

Legolas gave a sleepy nod and hum of approval and did not resist when Rithel securely bundled him in her own cloak before she easily lifted both him and his little rescuee from the snow.

"Yes, we can head back, find _Ada_ and _Nana_ and then go to the palace for some hot milk and cream. Las promised that if _tithen myril _came back to the palace with Las she could have milk and cream."

Slight worry shone in the Princes' small face but his sister was quick to put him at ease.

"Of course _Lasseg,_ _tithen myril _will get all the milk and cream she wants once we get back to the palace…along with a bath. You are both in desperate need of a good wash – perhaps you might share."

"Noooo," wailed Legolas as he begun to struggle (futilely) in Rithel's arms. "_Tithen myril _doesn't want to get more wet and Las doesn't either. Noooo…no baths!"

Legolas' pleas fell on deaf ears as his sister only giggled and walked all the faster.

**~o~**

Legolas sat upon his _Adar's _lap, small mouth arranged in a pout as he idly sipped his spiced hot milk and listened to his _Nana_ as she sang Yule hymns. He was again full of incredibly delicious things but he'd been made to suffer the horrors and indignities of a bath ere he'd been allowed anywhere near the table. It was just not fair; nor did it make sense – he'd been plenty wet enough as it was from the snow. There'd been no need for his _Nana_ to make him get even more wet.

The tiny Prince was just about to get a real sulk going when the sound of the door being opened followed by a soft mewl caused him to swivel round so fast Thranduil almost dropped him.

The tiny rescuee walked into the room a bit uncertainly followed by Rithel who had been tasked with giving the kitten her bath. The Princess held two tiny bowls which she presented to Legolas.

"One bowl of milk and one of cream as promised."

Legolas' face split into a huge grin and he bounded off his _Adar's_ lap to land soundlessly next to the kitten before he carefully took each bowl from Rithel and placed them before the fire.

"Here _tithen myril_, here is the milk and cream Las promised. Go on, drink, drink!"

The princeling watched in adoration as his tiny rescue cat first sniffed each bowl before enthusiastically beginning to lap up the contents. The little blonde sighed in contentment before a rather pressing thought came to him and he turned huge blue eyes to his _edhryn_.

"_Ada_…_Nana_…"

Thranduil sighed and waved a hand, "Yes _Las-nin_, you may keep the cat."

Legolas could not contain his joy and he scooped up the warm bundle of soft, grey fur and cuddled it to him, "Las will take good care of you _tithen_ _myril_, Las really will."

The kitten purred loudly as it rubbed against Legolas' cheek. Gently Legolas put his new pet down so that she could feed again and he slowly stroked the soft fur deep in thought.

At last, he spoke.

"Losseneth!" Legolas beamed at the newly christened kitten and gave her a scratch behind the ear. "Las will take very good care of you Losseneth…" the small Prince yawned and sprawled beside his kitten. "We will have many 'ventures and lots and lots of fun. Las promises."

Losseneth purred in happy agreement.

**END.**

Adar Rhîw – Father Winter (Santa)

Nana – Mamma (Mommy)

Ada – Papa (Daddy)

Tiro goth – Look out enemy

Sîdh – Peace

Tithen Myril – Little Cat

Annin - Literally: For me – Sindarin version of Please

Mellon – Friend

Ion-nin – My Son

Hervess – Wife

Adar – Father

Naneth – Mother

Meleth-nin – My Love

Iell-nin – My Daughter

Tithen pen – Little One

Gwathel – Sister

Lasseg – Little Leaf – Family nickname for Legolas

Las-nin – My Leaf

Gwanûr - Brother

Elo – Stars (An exclamation of wonder, similar to 'wow!' but more poetic)

Edhryn – Parents

Tithen Gwanûr – Little Brother

lon – Male elf

Kitten:

Losseneth – Snowy One

**A/N – Merry Christmas all and have a happy New Year too! Thanks for reading :) **

** Prompt Credit: charleighwrites . wordpress . com


End file.
